1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to flashlights, and more specifically to the field of flashlights with rotatable heads. Such designs contain a pivotal connection that permits the light beam to be pointed either straight ahead or at right angles with respect to the base of the flashlight. In addition to having a rotatable head, this flashlight design also contains a threaded connection mechanism to allow for its integration with other products that would benefit by being inter-connected with a maneuverable light source. The primary benefits of this design are the lighting versatility and flexibility afforded by the rotatable head, as well as its utility in providing illumination for any products that it can be connected with. Such products may include umbrellas, golf bags, and carpentry tools, to name a few.
2. Background and Description of Prior Art
In the prior art, flashlights with rotatable heads have been designed primarily to provide greater lighting flexibility to the user. Some of the earliest of these designs include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,832,564 of Kuehn. and 2.259,673 of White. Both designs teach how a rotatable head may be constructed by having a flashlight head rotating in a plane oriented at an acute angle typically 45 degrees, to the longitudinal axis of the base. Such structures permit the beam of light projected by the illuminated bulb to be projected along a path ranging from being parallel to the axis of the flashlight base to being perpendicular with respect to it. More recent designs for such flashlights include those of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,278,739 and 5,161,095 of Gammache. The patents of Gammache emphasize the alignment of the pivotal axis with the filament of the bulb, such that the filament remains fixed on the pivotal axis irrespective of the rotated position of the head. No such alignment is provided for nor claimed in the design to be described. The prior art for flashlights with rotatable heads has not yet produced a flashlight that employs battery cells positioned side-by-side, nor one that can be attached to an umbrella or with other products by means of a threaded metal insert. Such a flashlight will provide lighting versatility and flexibility by means of the rotatable head, as well as enhanced utility Linder poor lighting conditions for any products that it can be connected with by means of the threaded metal insert. Combining the use of a rotatable flashlight head with a fixed base also poses problems associated with the mounting of the head to the base and with the electrical connection of the flashlight bulb to the batteries from which they are powered. This provides further opportunity for improvement to the field of such flashlights.